INDH 3133: Laboratory Safety
Course Description:
Basic principles of industrial hygiene and safety as applied to laboratory operations. Review and control of hazards associated with the industrial, academic, and research laboratories will be discussed. Laboratory safety concepts and safety program development will be presented.
Course Format:
This online intercollegiate course in laboratory safety will use a textbook, papers from experts in various areas of chemical health and safety and other resources available on the world wide web. Emphasis is placed on the "new culture of laboratory safety" in which safety is an integral part of the design and execution of an experiment.
Course Objectives:
The culture of laboratory safety articulated in the National Academy of Science book "Prudent Practices" is built around experimental planning. Safety is as much a part the design and execution of an experiment as the selection of reagents and glassware. "Prudent Practices" notes that "the culture of laboratory safety depends ultimately on the working habits of individual chemists and their sense of teamwork for protection of themselves, their neighbors, and the wider community and environment."
By linking students in many different campuses we hope to foster this sense of teamwork and discuss ways of improving the safety habits of laboratory workers. Students will be able to ask and answer questions from each other and experts. Safety and health involve evaluating hazards and assessing risks. Students will have a better understanding of what is involved in such decision making and the consequences of poor decisions.
Prerequisites: Completion of Environmental Science foundation courses.
Text:
National Research Council (1995), "Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Disposal of Chemicals", Washington, D.C., National Academy Press.
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309052297/html/
American Chemical Society Joint Board-Council Committee on Chemical Safety. 2003. Safety in Academic chemistry Laboratories Vol. 1 & 2, 7th. Ed. Washington, D.C.: American Chemical Society.
http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/about/governance/committees/chemicalsafety/publications/WPCP_012294
http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/about/governance/committees/chemicalsafety/publications/WPCP_012293
OLCC Website:
Course description, core course schedule, expert papers and links to websites will be available at http://science.widener.edu/svb/olcc_safety/.
Tests:
A midterm and a comprehensive final exam will be given, each worth 50% of the final grade.
Grading: 10-point scale, ± grading system.
Schedule
Week 1
Topics· Overview of course content and schedule
· Orientation to course materials
· Students will become familiar with:
o OLCC-STU Majordomo Discussion List. Each student will need an e-mail account and become familiar with their school's e-mail system. Each student should send a message to OLCC-STU and introduce themselves giving a little background information.
o OLCC website (http://science.widener.edu/svb/olcc_safety/). Each student should be familiar with the course website and be able to retrieve papers and other information from this site.
o Web links to the texts and other resources
o Participating schools
o Course objectives and requirements
Week 2
Topics / Presentation / Reading· The culture of Laboratory Safety / Paper 1
New Traditions in Laboratory Safety Gary Trammell University of Illinois at Springfield, Springfield, IL / Schools Eye Classroom Chemical Cleanup, Morning Edition, Thursday , January 22, 2004
PP Ch 1 Culture of Laboratory Safety
Week 3
Topics / Presentation / Reading· Principles of lab safety
· Planning of experiments / Paper 2
Basic Principles of Safety in Academic Laboratories Barbara L. Foster, West Virginia University, Morgantown WV / PP Ch 2 - Prudent Planning of Experiments
Week 4
Topics / Presentation / Reading· Routes of exposure
· Nature of chemical hazards Reactivity, Corrosivity, Toxicity, Flammability
· Practical Toxicology: mechanisms of action / Paper 3
How are we exposed to Chemicals?, George Wahl, Jr., North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC / PP Ch 3 - Evaluating Hazards and Assessing Risks (pp 35 - 57) SACL 1 (pp 10 - 11)
Week 5
Topics / Presentation / Reading· How can chemical harm us? (use of label, MSDS, LCSS, CLIPS and other sources)
· Review of procedures for handling chemicals / Paper 4
An Introduction to Toxicology Jay A. Young, chemical safety consultant. / PP Ch 3 - Evaluating Hazards and Assessing Risks (pp 31 - 35)
SACL 1 (pp 12 - 16; Appendix 1)
Week 6
Topics / Presentation / Reading· General procedures (including glassware)
o Special Situations
o Compressed gases
o Vacuum and reduced pressure
o Lab ergonomics
· Ventilation (building and hoods) / Paper 5
Laboratory Hardware and You: The Interface , John E. Pingel, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL / PP Ch 3 - Evaluating Hazards and Assessing Risks (pp 57 - 60)
PP Ch 5 - Working with Chemicals (pp 104)
PP Ch 6 - Working with Laboratory Equipment (pp 109 - 131)
SACL 1 (pp 26 - 31)
Week 7
Topics / Presentation / Reading· General considerations
· Special Situations:
o Biohazards including bloodborne pathogens)
o Radioactivity and radiation hazards (ionizing radiation, lasers, uv)
o Flammables
o Highly reactive or explosive chemicals
· Storage and labeling of chemicals / Paper 6
From Cradle to Grave: How to Manage Chemicals in Between , Dawn Lee, SUNY College, Brockport NY / PP Ch 4 Management of Chemicals (pp 67 - 77)
PP Ch 5 - Working with Chemicals (pp 81 - 104)
SACL 1- (pp6 - 9)
Week 8 Midterm
Week 9
· Source reduction
· Reagent substitution
· Green chemistry
· Microscale
· Scaleup of reactions / Paper 7
Origins, Current Status, and Future Challenges of Green ChemistryMary Kirchoff, ACS, formerly with the Green Chemistry Institute. Origins, Current Status, and Future Challenges of Green Chemistry, Paul T. Anastas and Mary M. Kirchhoff, Acc. Chem. Res. 2002, 35, 686-694. DOI: 10.1021/ar010065m.
Additional Paper. "Green chemistry: A powerful approach to pollution prevention, waste minimization and hazard reduction" by Jim Hutchison, University of Oregon. / PP Ch 4 Management of Chemicals (pp 64 - 67)
Week 10
Topics / Presentation / Reading· Recycling/reuse/
· Treatment
· Disposal and recycling of wastes (philosophy and practice)
· Environmental regulations governing college laboratories
· Avoiding accidents
· Preventing contamination / Paper 8
Be careful what you call 'waste' Todd Houts University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia MO / PP Ch 7 Disposal of Waste
PP Ch 9 Government Regulations (RCRA pp 206 - 209)
Week 11
Topics / Presentation / Reading· Safety training
· Personal Protective Equipment
· Legal aspects of laboratory safety
· Unattended operations and working alone
· Safety inspections / Paper 9
How Can I Prevent Laboratory Accidents?, Kathy Benedict, Pfizer Global Research and Development, Ann Arbor MI / PP Ch 5 - Working with Chemicals (pp 82 - 84)
PP Ch 6 - Working with Laboratory Equipment (pp 131 - 137)
SACL 1 (pp 3 - 4)
Week 12
· Fires and explosions
· Spills (incidental and large)
· Contaminated self and coworker
· Safety equipment
· Loss of services (water, electricity) / Paper 10
Laboratory Emergency Response: Preparing for common laboratory emergencies., Harry Elston, Editor, Chemical Health and Safety, Buffalo IL / PP Ch 5 - Working with Chemicals (pp 86 - 93)
SACL 1- (pp 33 - 36)
Week 13
Topics / Presentation / Reading· Chemical Hygiene Plan
· OSHA
· DOT
· EPA
· State and local regulations / Paper 11
Managing Regulatory Compliance , Ralph Stuart, University of Vermont, Burlington VT. / PP Ch 6 - Working with Laboratory Equipment
PP Ch 9 - OSHA I(pp 198 - 204) and OSHA II (pp 209 - 212)
Safety Issues Related to Microwave-Enhanced Chemistry by Barbara L. Foster, West Virginia University, Morgantown WV
Week 14 Review
Week 15 Final